Hearing versus experiencing: The impact of a short-term study abroad experience in China on students perceptions regarding globalization and cultural awareness

This study examined the impact on learning outcomes of 15 agricultural students participating in a two-part course entitled China: Globalization, Agriculture and Environment. The first part of the course was taken in the classroom in March–April 2008 and the second part was a 16-day study abroad course in China in May 2008. An identical questionnaire of 46 questions was completed by the students at the end of each part of the course and the outcomes, in terms of the changes in the knowledge and attitudes of the students, were determined by analyzing changes in their responses on the two occasions. Paired data two-tail T-tests were used to determine the significance of changes between the classroom and study abroad activities. We found that the experience contributed minimally to the students’ knowledge of Chinese agriculture and environmental issues or to their understanding of the general nature of the global economy, above and beyond the classroom part of the course. In contrast, the study abroad experience profoundly altered the students’ cultural self awareness and outlook on global political issues. The study experience in China consolidated our theme areas of study, but the most tangible learning outcomes were not in the realms of globalization, agriculture or the environment, but in the cultural and personal development of students. We conclude, therefore, that the specific subject studied during study abroad experiences may be less important than the very fact that study is undertaken abroad. We also conclude that significant personal development can be achieved even on very short study abroad experiences.

► We study the impact on learning outcomes of students traveling to China.
► Students completed questionnaires before and after the short-term experience.
► Questions included knowledge of course topics and cultural awareness issues.
► More significant impact was measured on cultural awareness than with course topics.